Automatic grab fishhook



july 23, 1935. w. l.. NELSON ET AL AUTOMATIC GRAB FISHHOOK Filed Sept. 13, 1934 Patented July 23, -1935 l v l AUTOMATIC GRAB FisHHooK William L. Nelson and Bert J. Nelson, Waller, Tex. Application September 13, 1934, Serial No.743,908

` 3 Claims.

The invention relates to fish hooks and has for its principal object the provision of means for insuring the catch of sh by providing spring actuated grab hooks that are released to action by the iish taking the bait whether seized by the bait hook or otherwise, so as to prevent escape of the iish and insure the catch.

'Ihe invention will be described in detail hereinafter and will be found illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a View in elevation of the improved automatic grab fish hook,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on aplane indicated by the line 2 2 of Figure l showing the rod with the grab hook in set position,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the device in a released position, and

Figure 4 is a sectional detail Von a plane indicated by the line ll--II of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, in which similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the improved grab fish hook includes a tubular member I9 having secured at one end thereof a bellshaped cap member II to which may be secured a fishing line I2. In the opposite end of the tube I 0 is secured a guide ring I3 in which is slidably mounted a rod I4 having a plurality of hooks I5 on its free end. Secured to the rod I4 is a retractile coil lspring I6, mounted in the tube I0, and having its free end secured to the tube I0 as shown at I'I.

I8 indicates a tapered or conical projection on the rod I4 within the tube I0. Secured to the front of the tube I0 is a latch member comprising a leaf spring I9 having its free extremity bent inwardly at substantially right angles to the remainder of the spring I9, as shown at 29, and that extends through an opening 2l in the tube, and is normally engageable with the projection I8 as shown at 22 to hold the rod I4 and the hooks I5 in projected arrangement relatively to.

-the tube, and the spring I6 under tension.

Mounted on the tube III and of slightly larger diameter than the tube is a ring member 23, that is pivotally secured to thetubular member I as shown at 24. Said ring member 23 has a projection 25that is arranged to engage the leaf spring I9, said spring member being offset inwardly toward the tube as shown at 26 toprovide a cam action when the ring member 23 is moved to release the angular end 20 from engagement with the projection I8. Diametrically opposite to the projection 25 the ring member 23 is provided with ears 21 between which is pivotally secured a bait hook 28 as shown at 29.

In operation it will be apparent that the device when in the position shown in Figures l and 2, with bait secured on the hook 28that the fish tak- 5 ing the bait, or endeavoring to steal it without being snagged by the hook 28 will operate the trigger member consisting of the ring 23 so as to provide a cam Laction between the projection 25 and the offset portion 260i the spring latch I9, 10 and by 'so doing the angular extremity 20 of said spring latch will be released from engagement with the projection I8 and release the rod I4 and the hooks I5 to action of the retractile coil spring I6 so that the sh will be snagged by one or more of the hooks I5, insuring catch of the sh whether or not it has swallowed the bait hook or endeavored to remove the bait from the hook 28, thus adding to the pleasure of fishing by insuring 20 the catch, as well as the proiit kof a commercial fisherman. It will also be apparent that should the snagged fish endeavor to escape and exert a pull against the spring I6 in doing so, the projection I8 will engage the guide I3 and prevent 25 removal of the rod I4 from the tubular member I0.

It will also be understood that the device may be made of any'size and proportion for catching large or small sh as may be desired.

what 'is claimed is:- 30

1. An automatic grap fish hook, comprising a rigid member having a line secured at one end thereof, a rod slidably mounted relatively to its opposite end, a retractile coil spring terminally engaging the rod and rigid member, grab hooks on the free end of said rod, a spring latch mounted on the rigid member and tensioned to engage said rod to hold it against the action of said coil spring, a trigger member pivotally secured to the rigid 40 member and having a projection engageable with the latch to release it from said rod, and a bait hook secured to said latch.

2. An automatic grab iish hook, comprising a tubular member having a line secured to one end thereof, a rod slidably mounted in the opposite end of the tubular member and having grab hooks secured to its free end, a tapered projection on the rod, a latch member secured to the tubular member and engageable with said projection, a retractile coil spring having one of its ends secured to the tubular member and its other end to the rod, and a trigger member pivotally secured to the tubular member and having a projection engaging the latch, and a bait hook secured to the trigger member.

3. An automatic grab sh hook, comprising a tubular member having a line secured to one end thereof, a rod slidably mounted in the opposite end of the tubular member, a retractile coil spring in said tubular member and having one of its ends secured thereto and its other end secured to said rod, grab hooks secured to the outer end of said rod, a tapered projection on said rod Within the tubular member, a lleaf spring secured to the tubular member and having an angular extremity engageable with said projection to hold the rod in extended position against the action of the coil spring, an annulus pivotally secured to the tubular member and having a projection engaging said leaf spring, and a bait hook secured to said annulus on the opposite side thereof from the projection thereon. 

